Gopher-trap.



W. BUCK.

GOPHER TRAP.

APPLIOATIOR FILED APB..30,1913.

1,105,586. Patented July 28, 1914.

Wi [Basses WILLIAM BUCK, OFSPAXICO, KANSAS.

Gorillas-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1914;.

application flied. April 30, 1913. Serial No. 754,557.

To (1U III/mm. it may camel-n llc it known that I, lVLLLIAM BUCK, a citizen of. thc Unit-ed States, residing PziXi-co, in the county oi Wzibnunsec and State of Kansas, have inventcdl certain new and sfnl in;priiwementsin (lopher-Trnps,

'zh th s following is a sgicciiicntion.

inc object of invmition is w produce gopher trap that ii iii not become. clogged or made inoperzitivc h filling up with the loose earth, and thai is certain in catching the improve the traps in the construction and opoi consirnction,

stood that, within the scope of the appended Liin-imS, l contemplate. changes in form, pr portirns, and mo; is, zho transposition of parts, and the soostifcution of equivalent members, ithout departing from the spiritof I v "ion,

olrin vi w of n imp made in accoi .nnc h the principles of my mvcn: tion, the trap osing set. Fig. 2 is n vcrticai longitudinal center sectional elevation, on :1 plane indicated approx 11 ly by tho iinc 2 in Fig. 1. 3 is u ersc sectional elevation approximzrtely on planes inrilici'rtc-zl by the irregular line 3 in Fig. 1.

Similar refercncc characters indicate likc co responding parts throughout the ernl views.

The hose of my trap comprises the two legs 4, which are connected at their front ends by means of across-rod which has a contrnliy disposed oi oi hearing (3. At the roar, the Wire forniing the two legs is continued inihc form of spring coils '7, 7, and thencs continues in the form of a lever formed by the spring wire being bent upon itself. This lever extends toward the front end oi ths trap, its extreme forward end having a groovefi where it bears against one cud 1O ofa rod which is formed with a loop ii to engage the offset 6, and which thenco extends rearwardly, as shown at 1 2, rudei and between the two legs 8, 8 of the lever or "spring arm. Spanning the two legs of the springnrm is a rod 14 on which is hinged a. pirate hzn inp; :2 hole 16 in which is in;- serted "tho resuupwurdly bent end 13 of the rod12. r ,3

17, 17 are. two jaws, each made from round wire orrool; and each having at one end a loop 18 to embrace one of the base legs bot ccn adjacent washers 19, 19, which latter be scoured to the log by soldering or Each jaw is formed at its other cm. with an upward bend the extremity being' sharply pointed, as shown at 20. The two jaws siightly inclined from exact transverse alinement so as not to interfere with each other; but their terminal bonds are also bent so (IS to engage each other when the jaws are swung on their pivots.

The tension of the coils tends to force the lover 8 which may also be called the. spring arm, or spring tongue, upward, as indicated by the arrow And when the tongue is released, is upvard movement causes-movemcnt'of thc aws indicated by the arrows 23, 23, their closing movement.

The trap held in its set position by reason of the intch i0 engnging the tongue in the groove 9; and the latch is held in such position by reason of its rear end 13 engagin 1 in the hole 16 ofihe plate 15, which 1) {its (institutes the trigger, it being a nosc-pic :yjainst which the animal strikes when he springs the trap.

The trap is to be placed in the gopher hols, sot. "Wher the gopher crawls over the trap and strikes against the trigger, the trap is sprimp, and the animal impaled between the jaws.

It is a feature of my invention that it cannot be easily clogged by the loose earth, it being made in the main part of round spring steel wire and being formed without crevices or corners which would hold the earth, stones, or other matter interfering with its free operation.

21 is a tie rod to hold the coils together, 1 prevent them from spreading apart.

Wimt I-clai'm is:

1. The combination of a continuous spring wire forming two legs of a base, a spring coil, and a forwardlywxtending spring arm;

a rod connecting the two legs atthe forward end of the trap,-said coil being at the rear end, and said connecting rod having an offset bearing, a latch for said spring arm comprising a single rod having a .loop

engaging said offset bearing, a short portion engaging said spring arm, and a long portion extending rearwardly, a trigger for engaging said long portion, said trigger being pivoted to said spring arm, and a pair of transversely disposed jaws, each jaw being pivoted to one of the base legs and extending thence across and resting freely upon said spring arm, said jaws being actuated by said spring arm, and said legs being formed with washers on opposite sides of each jaw to prevent longitudinal displacement of said aws.

2. The combination of a continuous spring wire forming two legs of a base, a spring coil at one end of the trap, and a forwardlyextending spring arm; a rod connecting the two legs at the forward end, a latch for engaging the forward and free end of the spring arm, said latch being pivoted to said connecting-rod and extending rearwardly, a trigger pivoted to said spring arm for engaging said latch, and a pair of transversely disposed impaling jaws pivoted to the op posite legs respectively of the base near the front end of the trap and extending across said spring arm and resting freely thereon and actuable thereby, said legs being provided with washers for preventing said jaws from moving longitudinally of said legs.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BUCK.

Vitnesses: W. H. CowLEs,

J. M. STA-BK. 

